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Speaking to daily newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass said: "We have no interest in it coming to a hard Brexit.

"But that is not to be ruled out.

"We also don't want it to come to a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland."

Mrs May’s outlined proposals on economic and trade policy in a white paper in July, but Conservative Party lawmakers who want a clean break from the EU have heavily criticised the plan, claiming it offered a Brexit in name only.

Heiko Maas has warned the UK that is has "no interest" in a hard Brexit (Image: GETTY)

The Irish border issue is regarded as the toughest of the remaining issues in Britain’s exit negotiation from the bloc.

But Mr Barnier said in evidence published on Friday that he was willing to consider new ways of solving this.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel had offered encouragement when she said Germany was doing all it could to ensure that EU and Britain could reach a favourable divorce deal.